Telengana protests as centre delays decision

Hyderabad, Jan 28 (IANS) A day after the central government indefinitely postponed its decision on Telangana issue, the region was on the boil Monday as protestors demanding separate state took to streets.

For the second consecutive day, the Osmania University here remained tense with police not allowing students to take out a rally. Raising slogans of "Jai Telangana", the students tried to march towards Gun Park near the state assembly but were pushed back by police, who closed the university gates.

Police arrested over 30 students at the Nizam College in the heart of the city when they tried to take out a rally to Telangana Martyrs' Memorial at Gun Park.

Tension also prevailed at Indira Park, where Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) members continued their protest for the second day.

Students trying to take out a rally from Indira Park clashed with police when they were stopped. Some protestors removed barricades but were stopped by police officials, who did not allow them to proceed on the ground that no prior permission was taken for the rally.

Students were also stopped from joining the protest at Indira Park as the police had Sunday granted permission for demonstrations there on the condition that no more than 2,000 people would participate in it.

Communist Party of India (CPI) state secretary K. Narayana and other party leaders and activists reached Indira Park in a rally.

The numbers at Indira Park swelled since morning as students and leaders of various parties also joined the protest.

There were also protests at the Kakatiya University in Warangal town. Some pro-Telangana students with petrol bottles in their hands climbed on a building, threatening to commit suicide if other students arrested by the police were not released. The arrests were made when students were trying to take out a rally.